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So if workplace weight loss programs don’t actually improve employee health — what is it they are attempting to do? And yet, workplace wellness programs that focus on weight loss and other fatphobic-related measures like BMI and fat percentage persist. There’s not much evidence to suggest these workplace weight loss programs even reduce costs. So we’re shaming fat folks, excluding people with disabilities and triggering those of us recovering from eating disorders for ... absolutely no reason at all. And any workplace wellness program that specifically incentivizes weight loss should be acknowledged as harmful and ended immediately.

☆ How to beat the post-holiday slump at work, according to executives
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( Morgan Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Switching back to work mode after a few days of sleeping in, unwrapping gifts and popping champagne can be brutal. But even though the spell of holiday magic might have worn off, you don't have to go back to work in despair. "The first week of the year is like a warm-up period," Laith Masarweh, the CEO and founder of Assistantly, a virtual assistant staffing company, tells CNBC Make It. [Just] do your best to be positive and let yourself get excited for the new year ahead." Masarweh recommends starting your day with a brisk walk or run outside, or a different short exercise, which will "really get your mind working and set you up for success."

Arizona Gov.-elect Katie Hobbs is taking the state’s child protective services agency in a radically different direction in the wake of a ProPublica-NBC News investigation into the racial disparities that have plagued the child welfare system here. This week, Hobbs, a Democrat, announced that she has selected Matthew Stewart, a Black community advocate, as the new head of Arizona’s Department of Child Safety. Arizona’s child welfare system has long disproportionately investigated Black families. After leaving DCS, Stewart formed the community organization Our Sister Our Brother, which has fought the department for more equitable treatment of Black and also low-income parents. Child welfare experts in the state and families affected by the system praised Stewart’s selection, though some wondered how much change he could bring about even in DCS’ top position.

☆ 'One of our best years on record': With VC deals on the decline, venture-debt investors are cleaning up. But there's a dark side to startups borrowing cash.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Darius Rafieyan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

As the Fed keeps raising interest rates to fight inflation, venture-debt defaults could soon go up. Venture debt, like a typical venture-capital investment, involves betting big on fledgling startups that may be far off from profitability. In the first six months of the year, venture debt increased 7.5%, even as VC funding fell 8% over the same period. The year for debtArmentum's Markell said venture debt had exploded in popularity this year as traditional VC deals dwindled and startup valuations plummeted. Factoring in expected Fed rate rises, Kroll thinks these interest rates will climb to as much as 12% next year.

☆ Why detransitioners are crucial to the science of gender care
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +43 min

A Canadian health provider said it couldn’t participate, citing recent threats to hospitals offering youth gender care. But as Reuters found, hard evidence on long-term outcomes for the rising numbers of people who received gender treatment as minors is very weak. Dr Marianne van der Loos, the Dutch study’s lead author, is a physician at Amsterdam University Medical Center’s Center for Expertise on Gender Dysphoria, a pioneer in gender care for adolescents. For those who also received medical treatment, detransitioning typically includes halting the hormone therapy they otherwise would receive for years. One is Max Robinson, who was 16 when she sought gender care at Kaiser in 2012.

☆ 'A symbol of holiday dread': Stores pick beloved holiday classic songs to put shoppers in a jolly mood - but retail workers so are over it
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

In the final months of the year, some retail workers start dreading the holiday playlists they hear on the job. In a Change.org petition, one person compares Mariah Carey's 'All I want For Christmas Is You' to torture. Music playlists are carefully created by musicologists to put shoppers in the 'perfect mood,' Bloomberg reports. But it's not just Carey's catchy classic that has retail workers at their wits' end. Streaming companies like SiriusXM and Pandora have teams dedicated to creating store playlists, and brands use musicologists to choose songs that strike "a perfect mood for customers," Bloomberg reported.

☆ 5 ways reading 'Atomic Habits' changed how I live and work for the better
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

She read "Atomic Habits" by James Clear to improve her productivity and address distractions. Here are five ways that my life changed for the better after I tried Clear's principles:1. I beat distractions in my spaceAccording to "Atomic Habits," the first law of behavior change is to "make it obvious." After reading "Atomic Habits," I set an alarm for 20 minutes so I'd get it done under pressure and separated everything into three piles: essentials, nice-to-have, and extras. One of my goals last year was to get really good at recording Instagram Reels and posting every day, and "Atomic Habits" gave me a tangible strategy that helped me achieve this.

☆ Black women are worn out from discrimination in corporate America. They're leaving to launch their own businesses, creating a hole for talent across industries.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Alexandra York | Marguerite Ward | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Black women are being pushed out of corporate America by microaggressions, belittling, and burnout. Their departures are likely to hurt innovation and profits in corporate America. For Black women facing disrespect on the job, those pledges of a more equitable workplace can seem hollow. Insider spoke with Stewart and two other Black women who've left the corporate world since 2020 to start their own businesses. They're among those making Black women the nation's fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs.

☆ A Partisan Thumbs Down for Sinema’s Verity
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( John Fund | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Kyrsten Sinema didn’t always seem like a moderate. Now she has left the Democratic Party to become an independent, complaining that “payback against the opposition party has replaced thoughtful legislation.”Yet ideologically she hasn’t changed much. FiveThirtyEight.com notes that she has voted with President Biden 93% of the time. Where she departs from today’s Democratic Party is over its intolerant domination by progressives. She said progressives had caught “the dread disease” of “identity politics” and wrapped themselves in the “mantle of victimhood.”

Put another way, more Black children in metro Phoenix will go through a child maltreatment investigation than won’t. Almost all described a system so omnipresent among Black families that it has created a kind of communitywide dread: of that next knock on the door, of that next warrantless search of their home. Many Black families first moved there as a result of redlining and racial covenants that blocked them from renting or owning property elsewhere. In Maricopa County, Black children experienced child welfare investigations at one of the highest rates among large counties nationally, and nearly three times the rate of their white peers, from 2015 to 2019. But throughout the country, investigations were more pervasive among Black families.

☆ I was fired from Shopify after the big layoff. I felt disposable and overworked, and I'm much happier now that I'm gone.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Jenna Gyimesi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Osuji says he now works in construction because he couldn't find other support work. When you're working an entry-level position as I did, you feel disposable. [Editor's note: A Shopify representative told Insider in a statement that the company's turnover in Shopify Support is "lower than typical contact centers," though they did not disclose the rate.] I work in construction nowSince Shopify, I've been working in construction doing physical labor because I couldn't get other support work. But even though construction work is physically dangerous, my mental health is better: It's way less stressful than working at Shopify.

☆ Nintendo Switch Black Friday deals: The best discounts available on consoles, games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and more
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( William Antonelli | Tech Reporter For Insider Reviews | Read More | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

But among the deals available this Black Friday, we're seeing some great discounts on both the Nintendo Switch console and its games, as well as accessories. Best Nintendo Switch Black Friday deals on consolesNintendo Switch with Neon Joy-Con and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe System Bundle This bundle includes Nintendo's portable console with a digital copy of the most popular Switch game, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and a three-month membership to Nintendo Switch Online. Best Nintendo Switch Black Friday deals on gamesDeal icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. Deal Eovola Nintendo Switch Accessories Kit This Nintendo Switch Accessories Kit from Eovola is a treasure trove of gear with steering wheel grips, Joy-Con grips, screen protectors, a Joy-Con charging base, and more. Great Price SanDisk microSDXC for Nintendo Switch (128GB) This SD card for the Nintendo Switch has Mario-inspired art, but any MicroSDXC under 2TB will work.

☆ How to have a low-waste, climate friendly Thanksgiving feast
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( Susan Puckett | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Less is moreA classic Thanksgiving plate, featuring turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans and gravy. His Thanksgiving preparations start with a trip to a local farmers market, where he can thank the growers personally for his bounty. Leftover idea: Here’s how Acheson turns leftovers into a turkey avocado sandwich as memorable as the feast. Divide and conquerMeal prep is essential to make sure your Thanksgiving dinner tastes great and minimizes waste, says Lisa Bryan. Bryan understands that executing a chaos-free Thanksgiving dinner takes practice.

☆ These 4 business leaders survived the 2008 financial crisis. Be flexible and 'cut deep' is their advice for getting through the looming recession.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Businesses are preparing for a likely recession in 2023.Insider spoke to four business leaders who went through the last big recession between 2007 and 2009. When the economic downturn hit her business in 2008, she said she was still very new to the business and was "often worried" about overcoming the challenges. "It was really difficult to get our wholesale and corporate customers to pay us in good time," Croman told Insider. Daniel WhebleDaniel Wheble chose to start a new business in the Great Recession. "You question if it's the right or wrong time to be starting a business," Wheble told Insider.

SKIP AHEAD Cyber Monday 2021 bestsellers | Is Cyber Monday a thing? What to buy and what to skip on Cyber MondayWhen Cyber Monday began, it was known as a tech-heavy deals day, said Kristin McGrath, shopping expert and senior editor at RetailMeNot. Apple products are often discounted during sales events like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and AirPods, Apple Watches and Apple Pencils were all top sellers on Cyber Monday 2021. Because the line between Black Friday and Cyber Monday has blurred over the years — and because deals now start so early — many shoppers are wondering, is Cyber Monday still a “thing”? “Cyber Week” refers to the week after Cyber Monday, which is full of sales and deals from online retailers.

☆ How small-town Maine embraced a family that fled the Taliban
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Elyse Lightman Samuels | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +36 min

CAPE ELIZABETH, Maine — Last November, at about midnight, Omid was lying in bed in his new home in Cape Elizabeth, Maine — exhausted, but unable to sleep. On this night, and on many nights during Omid's first few months in Maine, Nasir was soon at his door. Omid's family arrived in Maine just before Halloween in 2021 and recently celebrated one year in Maine. Catholic Charities, the local refugee-resettlement organization in Maine, was working with Omid's family to help them resettle. After Omid's family escaped Kabul, members of his extended family came by to collect some of their more precious items, and gave other things away.

☆ New: Department Store Dread
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailNew: Department Store DreadHow much does it cost to buy a department store? More importantly, is it worth it? In this all-new episode of Money Court airing on November 30th, Kevin and Bethenny estimate the risks and rewards.

☆ A psychotherapist shares 3 'surprising' signs that anxiety is holding you back at work
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Jenny Maenpaa | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Anxiety can make it difficult to sleep at night, especially if you spend late night hours reviewing everything you could've done wrong. Anxiety can distract you or cause you to procrastinate, making it harder to meet deadlines. Anxiety can cause you to be irritable, tense or fearful of how you are perceived, which may make it difficult to collaborate and create positive relationships. It can be difficult to make the connection between anxiety and work struggles. Here are three surprising signs anxiety might be holding you back at work:As a psychotherapist, I help patients tackle communication, performance issues and motivation issues that are often triggered by anxiety.

☆ I'm Conan O'Brien's assistant of 13 years. I nap on the job, expense things I shouldn't, and talk back — and I'll probably work for him forever.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-12 | by ( Eboni Boykin-Patterson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Sona Movsesian was an NBC page and landed her assistant job through an internal recommendation. But at times, I really don't act like it. I'm working with, in my opinion, the funniest person on television, and I'm working on a show that I'm proud of. I think I will be Conan's assistant until he dies — I'm going to ride this wave for as long as I can. Most people don't think of an assistant job in entertainment as a forever-job.

☆ A spiral of violence and fear is creating angst for many voters ahead of the midterm elections
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-06 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Alex-Seitz-Wald-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Alex Seitz-Wald | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

For many voters, a vicious spiral of violence and fear is creating angst, paranoia and an overwhelming sense of dread that the nation is on the eve of destruction, according to a growing body of public opinion research. Polls show a large portion of Republicans fear democracy is in peril because they believe that elections are rigged against them. Frustrated by the fear that democracy no longer serves them, some Americans are becoming convinced that violence is the answer. Steele, the former head of the national GOP, said the public and political leaders both bear responsibility for protecting the republic. “But it also gives space for people who want a safer country to plan ahead, too.

☆ What it feels like to visit a fusion company lab on a day when wildfire smoke cloaks the horizon
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +13 min

The Helion Energy building under construction to house their next generation fusion machine. For the employees of Helion Energy, building a fusion device is their job. Helion Energy's building under construction to house the seventh generation fusion machine on a day when wildfire smoke was not restricting visibility. On the one hand, I had a newfound sense of hope about the possibility of fusion energy. This is the Polaris Injector Test, where Helion Energy is building a component piece of the seventh generation fusion machine.

☆ Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes slipped and testified he supports the 'right to riot' at his January 6 trial
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( C. Ryan Barber | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Oath Keepers founder Elmer Stewart Rhodes took the risky step of testifying in his own defense. Rhodes said he founded the Oath Keepers as a community service-minded group. "I support the right to riot," Rhodes testified, before correcting himself to say, "I support the right to protest." "Like I said," Rhodes testified, "we supported the right to protest." Rhodes also bristled at the characterization of the Oath Keepers as a racist group.

[1/2] Twitter logo and a photo of Elon Musk are displayed through magnifier in this illustration taken October 27, 2022. Managers have been forbidden from calling team meetings or communicating directly with staff, one senior Twitter employee said, adding that they were being monitored. "I'm really worried tweeps," a Twitter staffer wrote Thursday on Blind, which verifies employees through their work email addresses. "Give us the details," a Google employee wrote in a Blind post directed at Twitter staff. Much worse," answered a Twitter employee.

There was a lot of bleeding," Fawad Chaudhry, a spokesperson for Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, told Reuters. "I heard a burst of bullet shots after which I saw Imran Khan and his aides fall down on the truck," witness Qazzafi Butt told Reuters. "Later, a gunman shot a single shot but was grabbed by an activist of Khan's party." [1/7] Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan is helped after he was shot in the shin in Wazirabad, Pakistan November 3, 2022 in this still image obtained from video. Her father and former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was hanged in the same city in 1979 after being deposed in a military coup.

[1/3] Police officers stand guard near the scene of a crowd crush that happened during Halloween festivities, in Seoul, South Korea, November 2, 2022. REUTERS/Heo RanSEOUL, Nov 2 (Reuters) - As South Korea mourns the deaths of more than 150 people in a Halloween party crush, many people - even those not directly involved - are dealing with trauma and a search for answers that has at times blamed the victims, a psychiatry expert says. "It spread very quickly through news media and social media, leaving people directly and indirectly affected, and even those who aren't affected may feel distressed and frustrated, pretty much casting a sense of dread over the entire society," he said. The government sent a mobile clinic run by the National Center for Disaster Trauma to Itaewon, offering free counselling. "For example, when we had COVID-19 cases the first time in South Korea, there were a lot of blaming reactions like 'why did you go there?

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